Wonky Log Cabin Quilt

In continuing my quest this year to use up more of my scraps, I decided to follow a fun tutorial by Simple Girl, Simple Life to make this all-red Wonky Log Cabin quilt (Find the tutorial here on the Diary of a Quilter blog)

I chose to do red because my red scrap bin was the fullest out of all of them - by far!  Plus since it was February I wanted to work with my favorite red prints again.

For inspiration, you can find a fun variety of other Wonky Log Cabin quilts here (on Instagram under the hashtag #scrapbusterlogcabins)  

I have to warn you that this method makes a mess.  But it's a fun kind of mess, I promise!

I found that once I was set up to make blocks (scraps on floor sorted by length, iron hot, 12.5" square ruler ready) I just kept going and going.  They're addictive!  

I did stop and pause at 20 blocks, thinking I would like that size.  But once I laid them all out and saw how many red scraps I STILL had left, I thought I should probably keep going.

30 was the magic number for this quilt.  I have 6 rows of 5 blocks each.  And STILL plenty of red scraps left.  (You can see the size of my scrap bins in this blog post)

I quilted this one in organic wavy lines.  I wanted some curves to the quilting to help soften all of the straight lines and angles, but I also wanted to keep a modern feel to the quilting.  

You can see more of the quilting in this photo, along with the black and white stripey binding.  

And for the backing I chose to use this cute flannel thermos print from the Burly Beavers fabric line from Robert Kaufman.  I found it here on Etsy from the Stitch Stash Diva.  I love the weight that flannel adds to a quilt, without adding as much bulk as a minky backing.  

When the fabric arrived in the mail, I showed it to my kids an asked if they knew what they were.  They guessed water bottles.  So I gave them a quick little lesson on the coolness of thermoses and how in grade school everyone had a metal lunch box with a matching thermos.  I still remember my Holly Hobby thermos + lunchbox.  As well as the one belonging to the boy that sat across from me. Every day at lunch I had to look at his gross lunchbox covered with photos of the band KISS.  Killed my appetite for the entire year.  Ah memories.  

See the tutorial here from Simple Girl, Simple Life and check out the others on IG:  #scrapbusterlogcabins

Scrap Bin Geese block tutorial

Lately I've been on a kick to try to use more of my scraps.  I have a lot saved up, and I'd love to start using them more in my quilts.  I designed this super scrappy flying geese block to use some low volume prints, gray prints, and some prints in your favorite color - (right now mine is green) and  I named this block the Scrap Bin Geese block.

Here's what you'll need for one block:

12 (2.5" square) green print scraps

6 (2.5" x 6.5") gray print strips

6 (2.5" x 6.5") low volume strips

Step 1:  Using a pencil, draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of each of the 2.5" green squares. 

Step 2:  Lay out all of the block elements as shown above, with the low volume strips on one side and the gray on the other.  Decide where you want to place each green square.

Step 3:  Flip over the green squares so they are right sides together with the low volume / gray strips.  At this point you want to make sure your drawn lines are going in the correct direction (see photo above).

  

Step 4:  Sew directly on the drawn lines.  

Step 5:  Trim each seam allowance to about 1/4".  Fold open each green triangle and press.

Step 6:  Next, sew sections of block together in strips, using a scant 1/4" seam allowance (see photo below). For example, sew strip 1 to strip 2, 3 to 4, 5 to 6, etc.

Press seams open

Step 7:  Sew rows together, using a scant 1/4" seam and matching up the center seams.  Once all rows are sewn together, press seams.  

Block should measure 12.5' square



You can mix things up by swapping which side the gray prints are on like in the photo below.



And here is a sample of what a whole quilt would look like!  This is made of 30 blocks (6 rows of 5 blocks each) and would measure 60" x 72".

Looking for more quilt block tutorials?  Check out my Quilt Blocks pinterest board:

Framed Squares Free Quilt Pattern

I have a new free quilt pattern to share with you today, called Framed Squares.  I've been working with these prints from a new fabric line called Flutter and Float (from Blend fabrics, designed by Ana Davis).  I love the hot air balloon prints and didn't want to lose them by cutting them up in to small pieces-

So I found a way to use them as block centers, where they can be appreciated!  

This is great go-to pattern when you have fabrics that you really love and you just want to show them off. One afternoon last week, I cut everything I needed, set it all out next to my machine and then just sat and did some serious chain piecing while watching a favorite movie. 

These pretty prints now have me very much in the mood for Spring!  

You can access the free PDF quilt pattern here (for personal use only please!).  And if you make one and want to share on social media be sure to tag #framedsquaresquilt and #abrightcorner so we can all see your creations!

Looking for other free patterns?  You might be interested in these:

And you can find even more tutorials and patterns here!

Patchwork Quilt Along Block Two

Time for another block for the Patchwork Quilt Along with the Fat Quarter Shop!  February's block is called Diamond Panes.  (Find the free block pattern here)

Instead of making one block at a time, I like to cut the fabric for all six blocks and then make them assembly line style.  First off, I made and trimmed all of the tiny little half square triangles.  Not my favorite thing, but then once they were done, it was a breeze to piece the rest of the blocks together.  

 Have you started quilting along?  You can still buy kits here from the Fat Quarter Shop, as well as make a donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation here.  You don't have to use a kit - you can use whatever fabrics you choose!  Or dig in to your scraps!

Still have questions?  There's more info here, and a Facebook Group filled with other quilters just like you who are joining in.  It's fun to see what fabrics others choose and how it changes up the look of the blocks!

You can also read more on these blogs - all of these quilters will be joining in all year long!

Amanda from Jedi Craft Girl (@jedicraftgirl)

Amy of Diary of a Quilter (@diaryofaquilter)

Andy of A Bright Corner (@abrightcorner)

*Bonnie of Cotton Way (@bonniecottonway)

*Camille of Thimble Blossoms (@thimbleblossoms)

Debbie of Happy Little Cottage (@happylittlecottage1)

Greg of Grey Dogwood Studio (@greydogwoodstudio)

Heidi of Buttons and Butterflies (@buttonsandbutterflies)

Melissa of Happy Quilting (@happyquiltingmc)

Melissa of Oh How Sweet (@ohhowsweet)

Pat Sloan of PatSloan.com (@quilterpatsloan)

Renee of Sewn with Grace (@sewnwithgrace)

Sedef of Down Grapevine Lane (@downgrapevinelane)

Sherri of A Quilting Life (@aquiltinglife)

Sondra of Out of the Blue Quilts (@sondradavison)

Taunja of Carried Away Quilting (@taunjalynn)

Tina of Emily Ann's Kloset (@emilyannskloset)

Carrie Nelson/Miss Rosie of Moda Cutting Table